Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) floor leader in the Telangana Assembly A. Maheshwar Reddy
| Photo Credit: Screengrab of video on handle @BJP4Telangana on X
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) floor leader in the Telangana Assembly A. Maheshwar Reddy has described the State budget 2025-26 presented in the Legislative Assembly, as “full of lies” and far from reality. He demanded that the government clarify about the steps it proposed to initiate to mobilise resources in tune with the massive outlay.
Capital expenditure reduced to 16%
While the budget made no mention of promises like sustenance allowance to women, enhancement of pensions and others, it failed to strike a fine balance between welfare and development activities. This could be seen from the fact that the capital expenditure, a key component of the budget, was reduced to just 16% of the total outlay.
GSDP projection only to secure more loans
“This budget will push Telangana, which is already debt ridden, into further crisis,” he said participating in the general discussion on budget in the Assembly on Friday (March 21, 2025). Mr. Maheshwar Reddy expressed concern over the mounting debt which was almost 50% of the ₹16 lakh crore GSDP enhancing the per capita debt to ₹2.27 lakh. “Going by the budget presented in the House, The high GSDP projection has been made just for securing more loans,” he said.
He recalled claims of the Government on crop loan waiver and said huge section of farmers had been left out from the scheme. The same was the case with Indiramma houses wherein the Government promised construction of 3,500 houses in each constituency, but did not perform even ground breaking ceremony for the assured housing units. Another glaring example was the Musi Rejuvenation project where the estimates changed frequently from ₹50,000 crore initially to ₹1.5 lakh crore.
The government had also promised forensic audit of the land transactions conducted through Dharani portal, but no step had been initiated in this direction so far. “What is the status of the promise to give legal backing to the six guarantees of the Congress?” he asked lamenting that the government had however raised ₹1.63 lakh crore loans in the 15 months since it took over the reins.
Published – March 21, 2025 05:16 pm IST
